Razor cartridge

Abstract

A razor cartridge comprising a housing extending along a longitudinal axis. The housing comprises a leading longitudinal side and a trailing longitudinal side. A cutting member mounting portion provided in between the leading longitudinal side and the trailing longitudinal side. Three or more substantially parallel cutting members are disposed in the cutting member mounting portion in a shaving direction of the razor cartridge. At least one of the three or more cutting members comprises a blade support. The blade support comprises a blade mounting portion disposed on an inner surface of the respective blade support that, in use, faces away from a shaving plane. A blade attached to the blade mounting portion. The cutting members are disposed to define a plurality of inter-blade spans between cutting edges of the blades. The trailing longitudinal side of the housing does not comprise a skin care element.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A razor cartridge comprising:
 a housing extending along a longitudinal axis, wherein the housing comprises a leading longitudinal side and a trailing longitudinal side, and a cutting member mounting portion provided in between the leading longitudinal side and the trailing longitudinal side; and 
 three or more substantially parallel cutting members disposed in the cutting member mounting portion in a shaving direction of the razor cartridge; 
 wherein each of the three or more cutting members comprises a blade support, 
 wherein the blade support comprises a blade mounting portion disposed on an inner surface of the respective blade support that, in use, faces away from a shaving surface, and a blade attached to the blade mounting portion, 
 wherein the cutting members are disposed to define a plurality of inter-blade spans between cutting edges of the blades, 
 wherein the cutting edges of the blades define a cutting edge plane, 
 wherein the blade support contacts the cutting edge plane and is arranged such that, in use, a distal end of the blade support and the cutting edge simultaneously contact the shaving surface, 
 wherein the trailing longitudinal side of the housing does not comprise a lubrication strip, and 
 wherein the distal ends of the blade supports define a support plane, and a distance between the cutting edge plane and the support plane is in a range from −80 um to +80 um. 
 
     
     
       2. The razor cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the blade support and the cutting edge are arranged to reduce a force applied by the cutting edge and/or are arranged to evenly distribute a drag force. 
     
     
       3. The razor cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the plurality of inter-blade spans include a leading inter-blade span and a trailing inter-blade span, 
 the leading inter-blade span is closer to the leading longitudinal side of the razor cartridge than the trailing inter-blade span, and 
 the leading inter-blade span is greater than the trailing inter-blade span. 
 
     
     
       4. The razor cartridge according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the plurality of inter-blade spans include a leading inter-blade span and a trailing inter-blade span, 
 wherein the leading inter-blade span is in a range from 1.80 mm to 2.00 mm and 
 wherein the trailing inter-blade span is in a range from 1.50 mm to 1.65 mm. 
 
     
     
       5. The razor cartridge according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a fourth substantially parallel cutting member disposed in the cutting member mounting portion between the leading and trailing longitudinal sides of the razor cartridge in the shaving direction of the razor cartridge, wherein the plurality of inter-blade spans include a leading inter-blade span and a trailing inter-blade span, and a first intermediate inter-blade span is further defined between the leading inter-blade span and the trailing inter-blade span. 
 
     
     
       6. The razor cartridge according to  claim 5 , wherein the first intermediate inter-blade span is equal to, or less than, the leading inter-blade span. 
     
     
       7. The razor cartridge according to  claim 5 , wherein the first intermediate inter-blade span is equal to, or greater than, the trailing inter-blade span. 
     
     
       8. The razor cartridge according to  claim 5 , wherein the first intermediate inter-blade span is in a range from 1.60 mm to 1.80 mm. 
     
     
       9. The razor cartridge according to  claim 5 , wherein one or more of the leading inter-blade span, the first intermediate inter-blade span, and/or the trailing inter-blade span is in a range from 1.75 mm to 1.95 mm. 
     
     
       10. The razor cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein, for at least one of the three or more cutting members, the blade and the blade support are integrally formed to have the cutting edge, a base portion of the blade support extending along a base portion plane, and a curvilinear portion of the blade support intermediate the cutting edge and the base portion. 
     
     
       11. A shaving razor assembly comprising:
 a razor handle; and 
 a razor cartridge according to  claim 1 , wherein the razor cartridge is either releasably attached to the razor handle via a pivotable or non-pivotable connection, integrally formed with the razor handle via a non-pivotable connection, or integrally formed with the razor handle via a pivotable connection. 
 
     
     
       12. A kit of parts comprising:
 a razor handle; and 
 a plurality of razor cartridges according to  claim 1 . 
 
     
     
       13. The razor cartridge of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a fourth substantially parallel cutting member disposed in the cutting member mounting portion between the leading and trailing longitudinal sides of the housing in the shaving direction of the razor cartridge, wherein: 
 each blade support has a thickness in a range from 0.155 mm to 0.185 mm, 
 the distal ends of the blade supports define a support plane, 
 a distance between the cutting edge plane and the support plane is in a range from −80 um to +80 um, 
 a distance, in a direction parallel to the cutting edge plane, between the distal end of the blade support and the cutting edge is in a range from 0.3 mm to 0.6 mm, 
 the plurality of inter-blade spans include a leading inter-blade span, a trailing inter-blade span, and an intermediate inter-blade span between the leading inter-blade span and the trailing inter-blade span, 
 the trailing inter-blade span is in a range from 1.75 mm to 1.95 mm, 
 the leading inter-blade span is in a range from 1.80 mm to 2.00 mm, 
 the intermediate inter-blade span is in a range from 1.55 mm to 1.95 mm, 
 a span defined between a rearmost portion of a rearmost one of the substantially parallel cutting members that is closest to the trailing longitudinal side and a rearmost portion of the trailing longitudinal side of the housing is less than 2.35 mm, and 
 a total span of the cutting member mounting portion is in a range from 7 to 15 mm. 
 
     
     
       14. A razor cartridge comprising:
 a housing extending along a longitudinal axis, wherein the housing comprises a leading longitudinal side, a trailing longitudinal side, and a cutting member mounting portion provided in between the leading longitudinal side and the trailing longitudinal side; and 
 three or more substantially parallel cutting members disposed in the cutting member mounting portion in a shaving direction of the razor cartridge; 
 wherein each of the cutting members comprises a blade support, 
 wherein the blade support comprises a blade mounting portion disposed on an inner surface of the respective blade support that, in use, faces away from a shaving surface, and a blade attached to the blade mounting portion, 
 wherein the cutting members are disposed to define a plurality of inter-blade spans between cutting edges of the blades, 
 wherein the cutting edges of the blades define a cutting edge plane, 
 wherein each of the blade supports contacts the cutting edge plane, 
 wherein distal ends of the blade supports define a support plane, and a distance between the cutting edge plane and the support plane is in a range from −80 um to +80 um, and 
 wherein a span defined between a rearmost portion of a rearmost one of the substantially parallel cutting members that is closest to the trailing longitudinal side and a rearmost portion of the trailing longitudinal side of the housing is less than 2.35 mm. 
 
     
     
       15. The razor cartridge according to  claim 14 , wherein the trailing longitudinal side of the housing does not comprise a skin care element. 
     
     
       16. The razor cartridge according to  claim 14 , wherein a radius bend portion of the blade support is rounded to have a predetermined radius of curvature that is less than 0.9 mm. 
     
     
       17. The razor cartridge according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein a leading inter-blade span of the plurality of inter-blade spans is in a range from 1.80 mm to 2.00 mm, 
 wherein a trailing inter-blade span of the plurality of inter-blade spans is in a range from 1.50 mm to 1.65 mm, and 
 wherein a cutting edge to blade span is defined between the distal end of the blade support and the cutting edge in a direction parallel to the cutting edge plane, the cutting edge to blade span is in a range from 0.3 mm to 0.6 mm, and wherein at least one cutting member among the three or more cutting members has a different cutting edge to blade span than the remaining cutting members among the three or more cutting members. 
 
     
     
       18. The razor cartridge of  claim 14 , wherein the span defined between a rearmost portion of a rearmost one of the substantially parallel cutting members and a rearmost portion of the trailing longitudinal side of the housing is less than 1.95 mm. 
     
     
       19. A method of manufacturing a razor cartridge comprising:
 obtaining a housing extending along a longitudinal axis, wherein the housing comprises a leading longitudinal side, a trailing longitudinal side, and a cutting member mounting portion provided in between the leading longitudinal side and the trailing longitudinal side; 
 obtaining three or more substantially parallel cutting members; and 
 assembling the housing and the three or more substantially parallel cutting members in the cutting member mounting portion of the housing between the leading longitudinal side and the trailing longitudinal side of the housing in a shaving direction of the razor cartridge;
 wherein each of the cutting members comprises a blade support comprising a blade mounting portion disposed on an inner surface of the respective blade support and a blade attached to the blade mounting portion, 
 wherein the cutting members are disposed to define a plurality of inter-blade spans between cutting edges of the blades; 
 wherein the cutting edges of the blades define a cutting edge plane, 
 wherein each of the blade supports contacts the cutting edge plane, 
 wherein distal ends of the blade supports define a support plane, and a distance between the cutting edge plane and the support plane is in a range from −80 μm to +80 μm.